BP Oil Disaster

Dear Victorious,

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is perhaps one of the most sobering issues we've faced in a very long time. Somehow it feels worse than other calamities. Is it?

Devlin R. - Warren, OH

Dear Devlin,

No, I don't think it's any worse than other calamities we've seen, such as earthquakes or volcanoes. It feels worse though, because of two factors.

The first factor is that it's out-of-control. We can't seem to stop it - so the damage continues on. At least with an earthquake or hurricane, the damage is over fairly quickly and mankind can start recovering. With this situation, recovery won't really ever be able to start until the damage stops happening.

The second factor is that we don't know how extensive the damage could be. At least in theory, the oil could reach the shores of the eastern U.S. coast - or even drift to other countries. What would happen if the ocean dies? Are the dispersants they're dumping into the ocean safe ... or are they creating another ecological disaster? These are serious unknowns. Again, in other disasters, we can usually assess the damage because its extent can be known.

To be sure, the BP oil disaster in the U.S. Gulf is something that the entire nature should be in prayer about. But perhaps the dimension of it that should most turn us to prayer is the fact that we don't know how to stop it and we don't know how damaging it can or will be.